Canucks' Malhotra welcomes high expectations

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HOSEA CHEUNG, QMI Agency

Aug 18, 2010

, Last Updated: 7:31 PM ET

Manny Malhotra doesn't pay attention to the media but even he knows expectations are as high as ever for the Canucks this season.

"It helps to keep out that outside pressure, but that's just the joy of being on a team like this," said Malhotra Wednesday following a skate with several other players at UBC. "You know what's expected of you coming to the rink everyday, it's not a crapshoot, it's not 'throw your sticks on the ice and see what happens', you have a goal on a nightly basis to make this a better team and get it to a level that it wants to be at."

It also comes with the territory of playing in a hockey-crazed Canadian city predicted to win the Stanley Cup in The Hockey News' season preview magazine published last week. But of course, that latter part doesn't concern the former Shark, who is just excited to be in Vancouver.

"It wasn't quite like this in Columbus or San Jose, the media is something you have to get used to playing in a Canadian city," he said. "Playing in front of fans like this that are so knowledgeable, so passionate about the game definitely makes you stand on your toes on a nightly basis."

Backed by a new three-year $7.5 million deal signed on July 1 with the Canucks, Malhotra, 30, is designated to be the team's third-line centre but says he's comfortable in switching to the wing. They might need him to if prospect Cody Hodgson proves he can handle the pivot role at training camp.

"In conversations I had with both Mike [Gillis] and Alain [Vigneault], that's pretty much how they saw me, a versatile player, moving to centre, moving to wing on whatever line need be," he said. "I definitely enjoy that challenge of every night perhaps playing with different guys, playing in different situation."

The Canucks will also benefit on the penalty kill with the addition of Malhotra, who was part of San Jose's fifth-ranked kill unit last season.

"I bring my experience and things I've learned over the years being part of a very good PK unit in San Jose," said the Mississauga, Ontario native, who had a 60.7 faceoff winning percentage in the playoffs. "I look forward to working with the guys, working with the staff to fine tune things and to make it a little bit better."

- Defenceman Alex Edler was amongst the group of players on the ice Wednesday and said afterwards that his ankle, which was injured during Game 6 against Chicago in last year's playoff, is not an issue anymore.

"I had the cast on for five weeks and was on crutches for three, but after that it's been feeling good," he said. "No pain or anything."